Barbeque grill with paper start facility

ABSTRACT

A barbeque grill with paper start facility comprising an open top receptacle defining a floor that includes one or more draft openings of adjustable size, a tinder receiver in association with the receptacle at its central axis and in alignment with the draft openings, a charcoal support grid and means for removably mounting same in the receptacle over the receptacle floor and above and adjacent the upper end of the tinder receiver, a charcoal receiver in the form of an open ended sleeve of impervious sheet metal material that includes a pair of oppositely located handles adjacent its upper end, which charcoal receiver is proportioned to be disposed in substantially congruent relation with the tinder receiver and on the charcoal support grid above the tinder receiver, and a food cooking grid and means for removably mounting same in the receptacle above the charcoal grid after the charcoal is ignited.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No.502,705, filed June 9, 1983, abandoned.

This invention relates to barbeque grills, and more particularly tocharcoal fired grills of the barbeque type that are widely used for homeoutdoor cooking.

Barbeque grills of the type indicated are available in a wide variety ofmodels and shapes for both closed and/or open barbeque cooking usingcharcoal to provide the source of heat. Typically, the grills of thistype comprise a receptacle that defines a floor having one or more draftopenings that may or may not be adjustable, a charcoal supporting gridthat is removably mounted across the floor of the receptacle, and acooking grid that is removably mounted in or on the receptacle in spacedrelation above the charcoal supporting grid. Both grids are foraminousin nature, they each typically being formed from spaced rods or the likesuitably bonded together in criss cross relation, with the rods of thecharcoal grid being spaced to support the charcoal (typically in thecommon briquet form) that is to cook the food, and the rods of thecooking grid being spaced to support the food to be cooked.

Regardless of the specific nature of any particular grill of thisgeneral type, a common characteristic of and problem with these grillsis that the charcoal is to be ignited using a liquid petroleum "starter"of one of the many makes and brands available for this purpose. Commonpractice in this regard is to temporarily remove the food cooking gridfrom the receptacle, spread the charcoal on the charcoal grid that isplaced within the receptacle for this purpose, apply liberal amounts ofthe liquid starter to the charcoal, and then ignite the starter with amatch. The evaporating starter fluid ignites readily without explodingand the liquid phase of the starter ignites as well. If the charcoal isdry and well soaked with the starter, the charcoal starts to burn, andfully or largely ignites in due course, under the draft provided throughthe grill draft openings. However, when the charcoal is not thoroughlydry, or it has not been thoroughly soaked with the starter, or theambient conditions are windy or otherwise adverse, it may be necessaryto repeat the igniting process, which has its risks because thepartially ignited charcoal will be hot and it is likely to causeexplosive igniting of the starter, either as it is being applied, orwhen ignited with a match.

In any event, those who are seriously concerned with the taste of thefood they are cooking are usually aware of the fact that a sufficientamount of the starter remains during the cooking process to adverselyaffect the taste of the food that has been cooked. During the cookingprocedure, fumes originating from the starter continue to emerge fromthe charcoal and from the floor of the grill and are absorbed by food asit is being cooked.

Furthermore, the burning of the starter, while relatively clean inappearance, does involve the passing of obnoxious fumes into theatmosphere, and considering the wide popularity of this form of outdoorcookery, the large amount of the relatively expensive liquid starterproducts used to start the charcoal of charcoal fired barbeque grillsdoes seem to be a wasteful use of fundamentally scarce petroleumproducts. The use of electric starting rods to start charcoal is onealternate that is used occasionally, but the large amount of electricalenergy, and the wiring therefor, that are needed for this purposeinvolve factors of expense that necessarily limit the use of electricstarters.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a charcoalbarbeque grill in which the charcoal may be conveniently started usingreadily available tinder, such as paper, light cardboard, wood shavings,or the like, readily combustible or imflamable, non-petroleum product orbased, materials.

Another principal object of the invention is to provide a barbeque grillthat basically retains the popular outdoor cooking attraction of thistype of grill, while permitting the use of waste newspaper or the liketo fire the charcoal, so that both the charcoal and grill will be freeof the objectionable petroleum based starter fumes during cooking, theexpense of the starter may be avoided to start with, and the startingmaterial employed may be in the form of used newspapers or other paperor paper like materials that when used are ordinarily discarded as trashand disposed of through suitable trash collection procedures.

Yet another principal object of the invention is to provide, in acharcoal grill arranged to have the usual charcoal and food supportinggrids, a tinder receiver disposed between the charcoal grid and thegrill receptacle floor draft openings, and a charcoal receiver that isopen ended and formed for substantially congruent alignment positioningof same with respect to the tinder receiver prior to application of thecooking grid to the grill, so that with the tinder receiver charged withnewspaper or the like, and the charcoal grid in place within thereceptacle, the charcoal receiver may be placed on the charcoal gridabove the tinder receiver, and have charcoal applied thereto in acolumnar manner, for firing of the charcoal by igniting the paper in thetinder receiver, with the charcoal, after being ignited, being spread asneeded on the charcoal grid using the charcoal receiver as the spreadingimplement, for subsequent cooking using the cooking grid.

Yet other important objects of the invention are to provide a simplifiedcharcoal barbeque grill with paper start facility, to provide a charcoalgrill of the type indicated that lends itself to mass production andsales techniques, and to provide a barbeque grill of the type indicatedthat is economical of manufacture, easy and economic to operate, andlong lived in use.

In accordance with the invention, a barbeque grill is provided, and withpaper start facility, comprising an open top receptacle that defines afloor which includes one or more draft openings that may be adjustablein size employing a conventional opening or orifice adjustingarrangement. The grill includes a tinder receiver that is centrallyreceived in, or formed in the receptacle, in alignment with thereceptacle draft openings. The receptacle includes a charcoal supportgrid and means for removably mounting same in the receptacle over thereceptacle floor and above and adjacent the level of the upper end ofthe tinder receiver. The equipment associated with grill includes acharcoal receiver in the form of an open ended sleeve of impervioussheet metal material that includes a pair of oppositely located uprightmanipulating handles adjacent to and spaced laterally of its upper end,with the charcoal receiver being proportioned to be disposed insubstantial congruent relation with the tinder receiver, and on thecharcoal support grid above the tinder receiver, for charcoal startpurposes. The grill also includes the usual food cooking grid and meansfor removably mounting same in the receptacle above the charcoal grid,after the charcoal is ignited, in accordance with the practice of theinvention, and the charcoal receiver is removed from the grill.

The grill may be of any desired shape, and be arranged for either openor closed cooking, as desired.

When the grill is to be used, the grill cover, if any, the food cookinggrid, and the charcoal support grid are removed and placed to one side.The tinder receiver is then charged with tinder, such as wastenewspaper, wrapping paper, paper bags, or the like, and the charcoalgrid is returned to its operative position overlying the grillreceptacle floor, and the tinder receiver. The charcoal receiver is thenpositioned on the charcoal support grid in substantially congruentrelation with the tinder receiver, with the charcoal receiver then beingcharged with charcoal to the extent that charcoal is needed for cookingthe particular food project, such as meat or fowl, that is to beinvolved. The tinder charge is then ignited, and this may beconveniently done through the receptacle draft openings, by using amatch or a cigarette lighter or the like, to effect initiation ofburning of the tinder. As the tinder burns the resulting flames and hotgases pass upwardly into and through the charcoal receiver and about thecharcoal, quickly effecting full ignition of the charcoal charge. Whenthe charcoal charge is substantially or fully ignited, the user of thegrill then grasps the handles of the charcoal receiver with either handto lift the charcoal receiver upwardly as needed to discharge, and guidethe discharge of the charcoal fully onto the charcoal support grid, withthe lower end of the charcoal receiver being shifted to spread thecharcoal over the charcoal grid as needed to appropriately position thecharcoal briquets involved as desired or needed for cooking purposes.The charcoal receiver is then put aside, after which the grill cookinggrid is disposed in its usual operative relation in the grill receptaclefor food cooking purposes. The food cooking can then proceed in theusual manner, with the ignited charcoal providing the cooking heat freeof the common petroleum product starter fumes.

Other objects, uses, and advantages will be obvious or become apparentfrom a consideration of the following detailed description and theapplication drawings in which like reference numerals indicate likeparts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional view, partially inelevation, illustrating a first charcoal fired barbeque grill arrangedin accordance with the present invention, and in the process ofeffecting igniting of the charcoal, with FIG. 1 in effect being a viewtaken substantially along line 1--1 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic horizontal sectional view taken substantiallyalong line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the barbeque grill conditioned as indicated inFIG. 1, but with the charcoal briquets and tinder omitted;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the tinder receiver itself, of theembodiment of FIGS. 1--3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmental plan view taken substantially along line 5--5 ofFIG. 1, illustrating an adjustable draft control arrangement of acommonly available type that may be employed to adjust the size of thedraft openings of the grill receptacle;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, but illustrating the grillof FIGS. 1-5 after the charcoal has been ignited and spread on thecharcoal support grid, and the cooking grid put in place within thegrill receptacle for cooking purposes;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the grill as shown in FIG. 6, with partsbroken away to facilitate illustration and tth spread charcoal onlypartially illustrated to avoid obscuring component parts of the grillunderlying same;

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are similar to FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, respectively, butillustrate a modified embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 11 and 12 are similar to FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively, butillustrate a further modified embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the central portion of the grillreceptacle floor and the tinder receiver of the FIGS. 11 and 12embodiment of the invention, but on a larger scale to better illustratedetails of construction;

FIG. 14 is a fragmental plan of the charcoal receiver of the embodimentof FIGS. 11-13, better illustrating the handle arrangement of same; and

FIG. 15 is a view similar to those of FIGS. 6 and 10, but showing theembodiment of FIGS. 11-14.

However, it is to be distinctly understood that the specific drawingillustrations provided are supplied parimarily to comply with therequirements of the Patent Laws, and that the invention is susceptibleof modifications and variations that will be obvious to those skilled inthe art, and that are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

Referring first to FIGS. 1-7, reference numeral 10 generally indicatesone embodiment of the barbeque grill arranged in accordance with thepresent invention, which comprises a receptacle 12 defining a floor 14and upstanding side wall 16 which define cooking chamber 18. Thereceptacle 12 that is illustrated is of the common bowl typeconfiguration in which the floor 12 and side wall 16 are of integral onepiece construction and have the essentially hemispherical shellconfiguration that is indicated in the drawings and that is concentricabout central axis 21. The receptacle 12 is open at its upper end 20 andmay be used for either open or closed cooking purposes, and for closedcooking purposes a suitable cover is usually provided, which is notillustrated as it is not part of the present invention.

Receptacle 12 is suitably supported, as by employing legs 22 that in theform shown are three in number (only two are illustrated), disposed in120 degree tripod type spacing about the underportion of the receptacleand being suitably connected in any convenient way to the receptacle 14as at 24, with the legs 22 having suitable feet 26 which may beadjustably mounted. The legs 22 of the receptacle 10 may be of anysuitable type and the illustration of same is diagrammatic only becausethe details of construction of same have no particular concern with thepresent invention other than the receptacle 12 should be suitablysupported above the support surface 27 to space the receptacle therefromdue to the heat that is involved in the cooking procedure, and the needto provide air draft space for cooking.

The receptacle 12 at its floor is provided with one or more air draftopenings 30 for providing for air draft action through the cookingcharcoal, as is conventional with barbeque grills, with a suitable formof air draft opening adjustment device preferably being provided. In thedrawings, air draft control device 32 is diagrammatically illustrated,which comprises disc 34 that is formed to define air draft openings 36that are the same in number and location with regard to spacing as thereceptacle air draft openings 30, with the disc 34 being suitablyjournalled on the underside surfacing 38 of the receptacle 12, as byemploying suitable rivet device 40, so that the user, by grasping one ofthe handles 41 that are integral with the disc 34, can adjust theeffective size of the air draft openings 30, for air control purposes,by appropriately positioning the disc openings 36 with respect thereto,in the usual manner, with full alignment, partial alignment, or fullblock off positions being commonly provided.

The grill 10 also includes the familiar charcoal support grid 42 and thecooking food support grid 43. Both of these grids may be of anyconventional type, those illustrated being generally circular inmarginal outline for complementary fit purposes within their receptacle12. The grid 42 comprises marginal circular rodding 44 of circulararcuate configuration to which are suitably fixed in spaced apartrelation appropriate lengths of rectilinear rodding 46. The grid 42rests, as is conventional, on appropriately spaced angle brackets 47that are suitably affixed to the inside surfacing 48 of the receptacle12, in the manner suggested in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The grid 43 is similarly constructed, and for the type of grill 10illustrated, is of somewhat larger diameter, and also comprisingmarginal rodding 50 of circular arcuate configuration that forms themargin of the grid 43, to which are suitably fixed in spaced apartparallel relation the rectilinear rods 52. The rectilinear rods 46 ofthe grid 42 are spaced apart to support standard sized charcoal briquets54, which are to be ignited in the practice of this invention. Therecilinear rods 52 of the grid 43 are spaced apart to adequately supportthe various types of food that are to be cooked in grill 10, as isconventional, and depending upon the specific type of grill involved.The grid illustrated is of the type typically employed for cookingsteaks, chops, hamburgers and the like.

The cooking grid 43 is removably mounted in the receptacle 12 in amanner similar to the charcoal support grid 42, with the insidesurfacing 48 of the receptacle being provided with a suitable number ofgrid support brackets 60 for this purpose that are suitably secured tothe receptacle in a usual coplanar relationship indicated in thedrawings that is also provided by the corresponding support brackets 46for the grid 42.

The rods making up grids 42 and 43 may be lengths of chrome coated steelor any other material normally used for these purposes.

In accordance with the present invention, the grill includes a tinderreceiver that is applied about the receptacle draft openings 30 underthe grid 42. The tinder receiver 70 of grill 10 comprises open endedsleeve 72 that is formed by a length of suitable metallic material, suchas ordinary steel, arched to have its ends suitably fixed together, asby employing welding or the like, to define the cylindricalconfiguration illustrated. The sleeve 72 preferably is apertured todefine a multitude of draft openings or ports 74 that are in spacedrelation about the lower margin of the sleeve 72, 360 degrees thereaboutto provide for air draft flow into the sleeve 72 from within chamber 18,as will be described hereinafter. The tinder receiver 70 defines openupper end 76 and open lower end 78, with the tinder receiver 70 beingput in its operating position within the receptacle 12 by resting theend 78 on the inside surfacing 48 by the receptacle 12, with the sleeve72 disposed in centered relation about the receptacle draft openings 30.Preferably, the receptacle 12 is provided with a plurality of angle typemounting brackets 80 suitably anchored to the receptacle about thelocation of its air draft openings 30 so that the tinder receiver 70 canreadily be placed in its centered operating position indicated in FIGS.1 and 2. The brackets comprise in the form illustrated a length of asuitable metallic material having one arm 82 suitably anchored to thereceptacle 12, as by employing rivets or the like, and an upstanding arm84 that serves as the mounting guide for the tinder receiver. In theembodiment illustrated, four such brackets 80 are illustrated and aredisposed about the air draft area of the receptacle to position theupstanding bracket arms 84 so that the sleeve 72 may be readily slippedin between same to properly center the tinder receiver with respect tothe grill air draft openings, which for the grill 10 illustrated, is atthe axial center of the grill.

As indicated in FIG. 1, the sleeve 72 is proportioned so that thecharcoal support grid 42 overlies same when the grid 42 is resting onits brackets 46.

Further in accordance with the invention, the grill includes charcoalreceiver 90 that comprises for grill 10 elongate sleeve 92 that also maybe formed from a length of metallic material, such as ordinary steel,which preferably is imperforate and is arched to have its ends fixedtogether, as by employing welding, to define the cylindricalconfiguration indicated for sleeve 92. The sleeve 92 is preferablyproportioned to have a diameter approximating that of the tinderreceiver 70, with the charcoal receiver 90 in the specific embodimentillustrated being of somewhat smaller diameter than the tinder receiver70. The charcoal receiver 90 defines open upper end 94 and open lowerend 96 and has suitably affixed to same a pair 97 of oppositely locatedhandle structures 98 that in the form illustrated each comprisesmetallic angle members 100 and 102 that respectively define therespective mounting arms 104 and 106 that are suitably affixed to thesleeve 92, as by employing rivets or the like, and handle mounting arms108 and 110 between which is secured an upright grasping handle gripmember in the form of bar 112 that is preferably formed from a suitableheat insulating material such as wood or a suitable heat resistantplastic. The handle bar 112 of each handle structure 98 is suitablyanchored to the respective mounting arms 108 and 110, as by employing asuitable screw and nut mounting device 114, the shank of which extendsthrough the bar 112 and mounting arms 108 and 110. The handle structure98 may take various forms of specific construction arrangement, butpreferably the handle structure employed defines a hand grip membercomparable to the upright hand grip member 112 which is spaced fromsleeve 92 a suitable amount so that the user can grasp the hand gripmember 112 without incurring injury due to burning when the sleeve ishot as will be clear from the description of use that followshereinafter. While the handle bar is preferably formed from a suitableheat insulating or resistant material, it may be formed also from metalif it is disposed sufficiently remote from sleeve 92 to remain coolenough to be grasped, as indicated, for releasing and spreading thecharcoal.

Also, the hand grip member 112 of each handle structure 98 preferably isdisposed in parallel relation to the longitudinal central axis of thesleeve 92, and the handle structures 98 themselves are mounted adjacentthe upper end of the sleeve 92, with the result that the user of thegrill equipment involved can readily grip receiver 90 for easymanipulation in the manner to be described.

The charcoal receiver may alternately be shaped to be somewhatfrusto-conical so as to gradually converge from its lower end 96 to itsupper end 94; however, the illustrated cylindrical configuration ispreferred.

It will be noted that the tinder receiver 70 defines tinder receivingchamber 71, and the charcoal receiver 90 defines charcoal receivingchamber 93. In the case of the tinder receiver 70, the chamber 71 isdefined by the inside surfacing 73 of the sleeve 72, while in the caseof the charcoal receiver 90 the chamber 93 is defined by the insidesurfacing 95 of the sleeve 92.

In using the grill 10, the grids 42 and 43 are removed from thereceptacle 12 and put to one side; assuming that the tinder receiver 70is in its operative position within the receptacle that is indicated inFIGS. 1 and 2, the air draft control valve 32 is positioned in its wideopen position, and the tinder receiver chamber is charged with newspaperor the like, which can be waste paper crumpled up for this purpose. Itis preferable to not fill the chamber 71 too tightly so that the tindercharge will readily burn when ignited, and crumpled paper placed looselyin the chamber 71 is preferred for this purpose. Other chargingmaterials can be employed, however, that are of the tinder type, such aswood shavings, dry bark and twigs, or the like, or any combination ofsame including paper.

Thereafter, the grid 42 is put in place in its operative positionindicated in the drawings, and the charcoal receiver 90 is disposed ontop of same, with its lower end 96 resting on the grid 42, and thecharcoal receiver aligned in substantially centered, congruent relation,with the tinder receiver 70. The grid 42 may have fixed thereto aplurality of short rods 120 or the like, suitably affixed toconveniently located rectilinear rods 46, as as to be disposed to serveas centering abutments for positioning the lower end 96 of the charcoalreceiver in its indicated centered relation with respect to the tinderreceiver 70. However, these may be omitted as receiver 90 may becentered by sight above receiver 77 with relative ease.

The chamber 93 of the charcoal receiver 90 is then appropriately chargedwith the charcoal, which is usually supplied in the familiar briquetform indicated by reference numeral 54. The amount of charcoal to beemployed usually depends on the type of cooking to be done, and for thispurpose the charcoal receiver 90 is of elongated configuration insufficient length dimension to provide the charcoal capacity that mightbe needed for any cooking purpose that may be encountered.

In any event, when the charcoal receiver 90 is appropriately chargedwith the charcoal briquets, the tinder in the tender chamber 91 isignited by employing a match or the like, or a cigarette lighter or thelike, to ignite same through the air draft openings 30 and 36 which havebeen aligned for this purpose. The tinder in tinder chamber 71 being ofhighly inflammable material such as paper, burns with the flames andheated gases that pass directly against and about and through thecharcoal in the charcoal chamber 90, the shaping of which provides achimney effect that establishes a strong air draw through the air draftopenings 30 and 36 and the perforations 74 of the tinder receiver 70 toignite the charcoal progressively from the lower end of the charcoalreceiver 90 up to the top of the level of the charcoal in the chamber93.

The user of the grill 10 will be able to observe when all of thecharcoal is ignited by observing the charcoal through the open end 94 ofthe receiver 90; when the charcoal has been fully ignited, the user,facing the receiver 90, grasps the respective handle structure 98, byusing one hand to grasp the handle member 112 of one handle structure98, and his other hand to grasp the handle member 112 of the otherhandle structure 98. He then lifts the charcoal receiver 90 sufficientlyupwardly and rather slowly, so as to gradually discharge the charcoalfully onto the grid 42. As this is being done, the user maneuvers thecharcoal receiver around over the grid 42 so as to guide the dischargeof the charcoal about the upper side of the grid 42, and uses the lowerend 96 of the receiver 90 to spread the charcoal as may be furtherneeded, before and after the charcoal has gravitated from the receiver90. After all charcoal has gravitated from the receiver 90, the user mayfurther shift the charcoal as needed on the grid 42, using the lower end96 of the sleeve 92 as a pushing and pulling implement. Thus, the lowerend 96 of sleeve 92 may be used to push the individual ignited briquetsas needed, or the open end 96 may be placed about a number of same todraw them about the grid 42 as needed to properly position the briquetsaccording to the user's desires.

With the ignited charcoal briquets placed as desired on the grid 42, thecharcoal receiver 90 is put to one side, such as indicated in FIG. 6,and the cooking grid 43 disposed in its operating position to receivethe food that is to be cooked, and cooking proceeds in the usual manner.As indicated, for open cooking no cover is employed, and for closedcooking, the receptacle 12 is equipped with a suitable cover.

In any event, the cooking of the food proceeds without the presence ofthe conventional petroleum product started in the grill that so oftenadversely affects the taste of the barbequed food where such starter isemployed. Once the tinder charge has been burned, it completelydissipates and is usually reduced to an ash by the time cooking isstarted, leaving no undesirable gases or fumes to rise through thecharcoal and adversely affect the taste of the barbequed food.Thereafter, the perforations 74 provide for air flow from within tinderreceiver 70, from the appropriately set air control valve 32, radiallyoutwardly of same, for substantially uniform air draft distribution ofair from valve 32 to grid 42 both internally and externally of receiver70. Air control valve 32 may be set in the usual manner for providinguser control of the air draft supply to grid 42.

While the arrangement of the grill illustrated is of the roundedhemispherical type, it will be apparent that the shape of the grillreceptacle and its grids may also take one of the familiar quadrilateralforms that are commonly encountered in various types and makes andmodels of barbeque grills.

In the modified grill 10A of FIGS. 8-10, the tinder receiver 70A and thechamber 71A defined by same are formed by shaping receptacle 12A so thatits floor 14A defines horizontal base portion 150 that is concentricabout central axis 21A, and that is integral with depending cylindricalwall 152 having integral floor portion 154 that may have the samespherically contoured arching as the lower portion of floor 14 ofreceptacle 12 (as shown), or it may be planar or flat, as desired. Floorportion 154 is formed to define air draft openings 30, and controldevice 32 is employed in connection therewith in the same manner asgrill 10. Where floor portion 154 is planar, device 32 will be similarlycontoured for close fitting relation to floor portion 154.

The horizontal base portion 150 is in a plane that parallels that ofreceptacle upper end 20, but is at a level relative to brackets 46 suchthat an air gap or space is present between grid 42 and receptacle baseportion 150, where indicated at 155. The wall 152 and its floor portion154 form tinder receiver 70A and its chamber 71A, which are thusintegral with receptacle 12A. In this embodiment the charcoal receiver90A has a diameter that somewhat exceeds that of chamber 71A, asindicated in FIG. 8. The grill 10A is otherwise the same as grill 10.

The grill 10A is used in a manner similar to grill 10, with the tinderbeing applied to the tinder chamber 71A to approximately the top ofsame. When the tinder of chamber 71A is ignited, the resulting flames,the air from the aligned air draft openings 30 and 36, and ambient airfrom about the charcoal receiver lower end 96, between it and the floorportion 150, and thus through gap 155, pass, under the chimney effectinvolved, into and through the charcoal chamber 93 of receiver 90A, toprogressively ignite the charcoal as afore-described.

It will be apparent that the tinder receiver 70A and its chamber 71A maybe formed by walls 152 and 154 being integral in a separate bowlconfiguration that may be suitably affixed to floor portion in centeredrelation to receptacle 12A. After the charcoal is ignited and spread,the gap 155 provides for adequate air draft supply from valve device 32radially outwardly of tinder chamber 71A.

Turning now to the modified grill 10B of FIGS. 11-15, it will be seenthat this embodiment of the invention, which is believed to be the bestmode of practicing the invention, comprises receptacle 12B having afloor 14B and a side wall 16B that define cooking chamber 18B.Receptacle 12B is open at its upper end 20B in the form illustrated andsupported by suitable legs 22B suitably connected to receptacle at 24Band having the usual feet 26B that gauge support surface 27.

The receptacle 12B is also shown to be equipped with the previouslydescribed charcoal grid 42 that is to rest on the brackets 47 therefor,and the food support or cooking grid 43 that is to rest on the brackets60 therefor. However, where the grid 42 is arranged to provide forheight adjustment, the brackets 47 as such will not be needed.

In the modified grill 10B, the tinder receiver 70B and the chamber 71Bdefined by same are formed by a separate dished wall structure 170having support flange 172 in circumambient relation thereabout; further,the receptacle 12B is shaped so that floor 14B forms planar base portion174 that is to be substantially centered with respect to the centralaxis 21B of the receptacle 12B and be substantially horizontallydisposed when the receptacle 12B is mounted on its legs 22B for theusual support above supporting surface 27. The floor horizontal baseportion 174 is formed to define circular opening 176 that is in coaxialrelation with the central axis 21B of the receptacle 12B, with theopening 176 being proportioned to receive the dished wall structure 170therein, and with the circumambient flange 172 thereof resting on thefloor base portion 174, in normal use of the grill 10B (see FIGS. 11 and15).

As in the grill 10A of FIGS. 8-10, the floor base portion 174 is in aplane that parallels that of the receptacle upper end 20B, but is at alevel relative to the level of the operating positions of grid 42 suchthat an air gap or space is present between the grid 42 when in use andthe receptacle base portion 174, where indicated at 175.

The dished wall structure 170 and its circumabient flange 172 define aseparate and removable bowl or compartment 180, including circumambientside wall 182 that is integral thereabout, and spherically contoured andimperforate bottom wall 184 that define the tinder receiver 70B and itstinder receiving chamber 71B. The tinder receiver 70B is open at its topor upper end 76B to receive the tinder, and closed at its lower end 78Bby bottom wall 184.

In the form shown, the bowl 180 forming the tinder receiver 70B has itsside wall 182 of generally four sided configuration defining a first setof opposed planar walls 183 and 185, and a second set of opposed planarwalls 187 and 189 separated from the respective walls of the first setby corner walls 191, whereby the tinder receiving chamber 71B isbasically of four sided configuration, although the actual shaping ofchamber 71B as such as not critical. Bowl 180 is equipped with a pair ofoppositely positioned air draft control devices 32B applied to theopposed walls 187 and 189 that include the openings 30B formed in theside wall 182 in opposed relation on either side of the bowl 180, therespective discs 34B that are pivotally mounted in place by the rivets40B, the openings 36B of the respective discs 34B that are oriented tobe aligned with the tinder receiver wall openings 30B, respectively, foreach device 32B, and the aforementioned handles 41B for appropriatelypositioning the devices 32B (which are the same as devices 32 of FIGS.1-9 except that they are flat since they are applied to flat walls). Thenumber of the air draft control devices 32B employed is optionalalthough at least one of such devices mounted on the bowl side wall 182at one of the 183, 185, 187, or 189 is desired.

In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, the tinder receiver70B is made removable, and the floor 184 of same is made impervious orclosed so that the ashes left by burning the tinder to start thecharcoal, in operating the grill, may be periodically emptied byremoving the tinder receiver 70B. For this purpose, the tinder receiver70B is equipped with a pair of oppositely located handles 190 of simpleU shaped configuration, each being equipped with a pair of ends 192 forsuitably anchoring the respective handles 190 in place on the bowl sidewall 182 in the indicated opposite relation. The handle ends 192 areshown flattened to facilitate rivet type mounting, but this may beomitted where resistance welded connections are employed. Handles 190may be secured to the walls 187 and 189, as shown, or to the other twowalls 183 and 185, as desired.

Thus, when the grill 10B has been used to the extent that the ashes leftover from the tinder employed to start the charcoal have reached a levelin the tinder chamber 71B, where they tend to block the air draftcontrol device or devices 32B, on removal of the two grids, the grilloperator may grasp one or both the handles 190, and lift the bowl 180upwardly to remove it from the receptacle opening 176, and appropriatelydump the tinder ashes in a trash can or the like, after which the bowl180 is replaced to the position indicated in FIGS. 11 and 15 of thedrawings. It is recommended that the ash be so removed from the bowl 180each time the grill 10B is used.

The bowl 180 may be formed from any suitable material, such as metal orthe like, that is appropriate for forming the receptacles ofconventional barbeque grills. In the form of FIGS. 11-15, the receptacleis downwardly flanged, as at 201, about the circumference of flooropening 176, with the corner walls 191 of bowl 180 having a centeringaction on bowl 180 when it is returned to its operating position ofFIGS. 11 and 12, for ready reapplication of the tinder receiver 70B toreceptacle 12B.

The charcoal receiver 90B of the grill 10B is similar to charcoalreceiver 90A and thus is formed from a suitable sleeve 92B or the like.In the form shown, the charcoal receiver 90B is provided with handlestructures 98B of the simplified form more specifically shown in FIG.14, wherein each handle structure 98B comprises a U shaped mountingmember 200 formed from strip metal or the like and that is suitablyriveted or otherwise affixed to sleeve 92B and defines a pair ofoutwardly projecting end portions 202 and 204 that receive a handle 204that is in the form of a cylinder formed from a heat nonconductivematerial such as wood or a suitable plastic, proportioned to closely fitwithin the respective mounting bracket end portions 202 and 204 and besecured in place by suitable screws 206. As indicated in FIG. 11, thehandle structures 98B are disposed oppositely of each other or 180degrees apart with regard to the circumference of the sleeve 92B andwith their handles 204 disposed in substantially coplanar spaced apartrelation equidistant from the central axis 21B of the grill, with thehandles 204 thus being horizontally disposed when the charcoal receiver90B is in use. Receiver 90B, like receivers 90 and 90A, is in practice acombination charcoal receiving and distributing device that is discretewith respect to the grill 10B, and all these receivers may be formedwith one or more vent openings adjacent their lower ends to improvedraft, if desired.

The grill 10B is used in a manner similar to the way grills 10 and 10Aare used, with the tinder being applied to the tinder chamber 71B toapproximately the top of same, and with the air draft control device ordevices 32B with which the bowl 180 is equipped being opened forigniting of the tinder of the chamber 71B therethrough. Where more thanone device 32B is provided on the bowl 180, only one such device need beopen to ignite the tinder. In any event, when the tinder of the chamber71B is ignited, the resulting flames, the air from the draft openings30B and 36B that are aligned, and ambient air from the charcoal receiverlower end 96B (between it and the floor portion 174), and thus throughgap 175, pass, under the chimney effect involved, into and through thecharcoal chamber 93B, to progressively ignite the charcoal asaforedescribed.

After the charcoal is ignited and spread by employing the charcoalreceiver 90B as aforedescribed, the gap 175 provides for adequate airdraft supply about the lower end of the charcoal receivercircumferentially thereabout.

As indicated, when the grill 10B has been used often enough to have anundue accumulation of ash in the bowl 180, the bowl 180 may be removedand the ash dumped or otherwise disposed of. It is preferable that theventing provided by the devices 32B provided not be blocked byaccumulated ash. It will be apparent that in the embodiment 10B thetinder receiver 70B rests under gravity on the receptacle floor baseportion 174 and within the opening 176 defined by same, and that tinderreceiver 70B is operative as such in any random positioning of samewithin receptacle opening 176, three hundred sixty degrees thereaboutand about the grill central axis 21B.

It will therefore be seen that the invention provides a simplifiedbarbeque grill that has paper start capability and completely avoids theneed for the problem petroleum starter as conventionally employed tostart the ignition of charcoal in the widely popular barbeque grillfacilities that are so commonly employed in homes and other domesticsituations around the country. The tinder receiver in one embodiment isof simple sleeve like open ended construction but may be defined by thegrill receptacle, or be a separate movable bowl, as in the otherembodiments. In all forms the tinder receiver accommodates not onlywaste paper, but other highly combustible materials that are safe to useas tinder, such as wood shavings, dry bark (as, for instance, birchbark), dry sticks and twigs, excelsior, or any combination of same,which tinder burns with sufficient heat and flaming to ignite thecharcoal of the charcoal receiver that is applied over the tinderchamber.

The charcoal receiver is of simple open ended sleeve construction thatdefines a removable charcoal ignition chamber which, when in itsoperative position, provides a strong chimney effect whereby the burninggases and flames are subject to a strong drawing action through andabout the charcoal to quickly ignite same. The charcoal receiverthereafter is hand manipulated by the user to expeditiously place andlocate the ignited charcoal briquets as desired on or about the uppersurface of the charcoal support grid for cooking purposes, after whichit is put aside until again needed for charcoal starting purposes. Thefood support grid is put in place in the usual manner to receive thefood that is to be cooked barbeque style.

After the charcoal is started, and put in its cooking position, the airdraft control device or devices 32 may be positioned as desired tocontrol the flow of air to and through the burning charcoal, in theusual manner.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explainand illustrate the invention and the invention is not to be limitedthereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, sincethose skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will beable to make modifications and variations therein without departing fromthe scope of the invention.

I claim:
 1. In a barbeque grill that includes a receptacle of open topbowl configuration having a central portion centered on same, at acentral axis that extends normally of the plane of the receptacle top,with the receptacle defining a floor that is centered on the axis, andincluding a charcoal support grid and means for removably mounting samein the receptacle above and in operative overlying relation to thereceptacle floor, and a food cooking grid and means for removablymounting same above and in operative overlying relation to the charcoalsupport grid, with the grids being respectively proportioned to besubstantially centered on the central axis when mounted in thereceptacle in their respective operative relations, and with the gridsbeing disposed normally of the central axis when mounted in thereceptacle in their respective operative relations, and means formounting the receptacle for cooking purposes with the central axis ofthe receptacle substantially vertically disposed,the improvement whereinsaid grill includes: a tinder receiver located below the level of thecharcoal support grid, when the latter is in its said operativerelation, and defining a tinder receiving chamber that is substantiallycentered on the central axis and that is proportioned transversely ofsaid central axis to receive a tinder charge of predetermined size, saidtinder receiver defining an open upper end through which the tindercharge may be inserted into said tinder receiving chamber when the gridsare removed from the receptacle for charging said tinder receiver withtinder, said tinder receiver underlying the charcoal support grid acrosssaid tinder receiving upper end thereof when said charcoal support gridis in its operative relation, a combination charcoal receiver anddistributing device that is discrete with respect to said grill andcomprises an elongate annular sleeve having an open center extendingtherethrough and open upper and lower end portions defining a charcoalreceiving chamber that is open at the upper and lower ends of same andhas a central axis extending longitudinally of said sleeve, saidcharcoal receiver device lower end being formed to rest on the charcoalsupport grid, when the charcoal support grid is mounted in thereceptacle in its said operative relation, said charcoal receiver devicebeing proportioned transversely of its central axis to receive in saidchamber thereof a charcoal charge that transversely of said charcoalreceiver central axis approximates the corresponding dimensioning ofsaid tinder receiver chamber, and means for venting ambient air exteriorof said receptacle into said tinder chamber for providing for ignitingand supporting combustion of a tinder charge received therein, saidcharcoal receiver device having a pair of oppositely disposed handlesfixed to said sleeve adjacent said upper end thereof and each comprisinga hand grip portion disposed externally of said sleeve for gripping bythe grill user's right and left hands respectively, for shifting saidreceiver device lower end relative to and over the charcoal supportgrid, whereby, when the grill is to be used for charcoal food cooking,and on removal of both the grids from the receptacle to expose saidtinder receiving chamber upper end, the tinder charge may be applied tosaid tinder chamber and the charcoal grid returned to its operativerelation, whereupon said charcoal receiver device may be rested on thecharcoal grid in substantial vertical alignment with said tinderreceiver and with said lower end portion of said charcoal receiverdevice engaging the charcoal grid, a charcoal charge may be applied tosaid charcoal receiver device chamber through said charcoal receivingchamber upper end, and the tinder charge may be ignited through saidventing means to effect ignition and burning of the charcoal charge bychimney effect through said charcoal receiver device chamber, and afterthe charcoal charge is ignited, the user, facing the grill, may graspsaid charcoal receiver device handles with his right and left hands,respectively, to sufficiently lift same upwardly of the charcoal supportgrid and shift the lower end of the charcoal receiver device over thecharcoal grid, for controlled discharge of the ignited charcoal fromsaid device, and spreading of the charcoal, onto the charcoal grid,after which said charcoal receiver device is moved out of the grill andset to one side, and said cooking grid may be disposed in said operativerelation thereof for food cooking purposes over the ignited charcoal. 2.The improvement set forth in claim 1 wherein:said tinder receivercomprises a sleeve that is removably mounted in said receptacle, saidtinder receiver sleeve having a foraminous side wall that is incircumambient relation thereabout.
 3. The improvement set forth in claim1 wherein:said tinder receiver is defined by said receptacle floor. 4.The barbeque grill set forth in claim 1 wherein:said charcoal receiverdevice sleeve comprises an imperforate side wall that is incircumambient relation thereabout, and said proportioning of saidcharcoal receiver device transversely of its said central axis exceedsthe corresponding dimensioning of said tinder receiver chamber.
 5. Theimprovement set forth in claim 1 wherein:the charcoal grid includesmeans for indexing said charcoal receiver device lower end portion intosaid alignment with said tinder receiver when said charcoal receiverdevice is rested on the charcoal grid for firing a charcoal charge to bereceived in said charcoal receiver device.
 6. The improvement set forthin claim 1 wherein:said tinder receiver is separably supported on thereceptacle and comprises a bowl for containing the ash formed fromigniting tinder charge placed therein, and including means for removingsaid tinder receiver for dumping the said ash therefrom.
 7. Theimprovement set forth in claim 6 wherein:said means for ventingcomprises an air draft control device mounted on said bowl.
 8. Theimprovement set forth in claim 6 wherein:the receptacle floor isapertured to receive said bowl, said bowl including a circumambientflange thereabout for resting of said bowl on the receptacle floor undergravity.
 9. The improvement set forth in claim 9 wherein:said bowl hasan imperforate floor for holding the tinder ash therein on igniting ofthe tinder.
 10. The improvement set forth in claim 8 wherein:said bowlis formed for random positioning in said receptacle floor aperture 360degrees thereabout.
 11. In a barbeque grill that includes a receptacleof open top bowl configuration having a central portion centered onsame, at a central axis that extends normally of the plane of thereceptacle top, with the receptacle defining a floor that is centered onthe axis, and including a charcoal support grid and means for removablymounting same in the receptacle above and in operative overlyingrelation to the receptacle floor, and a food cooking grid and means forremovably mounting same above and in operative overlying relation to thecharcoal support grid, with the grids being respectively proportioned tobe substantially centered on the central axis when mounted in thereceptacle in their respective operative relations, and with the gridsbeing disposed normally of the central axis when mounted in thereceptacle in their respective operative relations, and means formounting the receptacle for cooking purposes with the central axis ofthe receptacle substantially vertically disposed,the improvement whereinsaid grill includes: a tinder receiver located below the level of thecharcoal support grid, when the latter is in its said operativerelation, and defining a tinder receiving chamber that is substantiallycentered on the central axis and that is proportioned transversely ofsaid central axis to receive a tinder charge of predetermined size, saidtinder receiver defining an open upper end through which the tindercharge may be inserted into said tinder receiving chamber when the gridsare removed from the receptacle for charging said tinder receiver withtinder, said tinder receiver underlying the charcoal support grid acrosssaid tinder receiving upper end thereof when said charcoal support gridis in its operative relation, a combination charcoal receiver anddistributing device that is discrete with respect to said grill andcomprises an elongate annular sleeve having an open center extendingtherethrough and open upper and lower end portions defining a charcoalreceiving chamber that is open at the upper and lower ends of same andhas a central axis extending longitudinally of said sleeve, saidcharcoal receiver device lower end being formed to rest on the charcoalsupport grid, when the charcoal support grid is mounted in thereceptacle in its said operative relation, said charcoal receiver devicebeing proportioned transversely of its central axis to receive in saidchamber thereof a charcoal charge that transversely of said charcoalreceiver central axis approximates the corresponding dimensioning ofsaid tinder receiver chamber, and means for venting ambient air exteriorof said receptacle into said tinder chamber for providing for ignitingand supporting combustion of a tinder charge received therein, saidcharcoal receiver device having handle means fixed to said sleeveadjacent said upper end thereof for shifting said receiver device lowerend relative to and over the charcoal support grid, whereby, when thegrill is to be used for charcoal food cooking, and on removal of boththe grids from the receptacle to expose said tinder receiving chamberupper end, the tinder charge may be applied to said tinder chamber andthe charcoal grid returned to its operative relation, whereupon saidcharcoal receiver device may be rested on the charcoal grid insubstantial vertical alignment with said tinder receiver and with saidlower end portion of said charcoal receiver device engaging the charcoalgrid, a charcoal charge may be applied to said charcoal receiver devicechamber through said charcoal receiving chamber upper end, and thetinder charge may be ignited through said venting means to effectignition and burning of the charcoal charge by chimney effect throughsaid charcoal receiver device chamber, and after the charcoal charge isignited, the user, facing the grill, may grasp said charcoal receiverdevice handle means to sufficiently lift same upwardly of the charcoalsupport grid and shift the lower end of the charcoal receiver deviceover the charcoal grid, for controlled discharge of the ignited charcoalfrom said device, and spreading of the charcoal, onto the charcoal grid,after which said charcoal receiver device is moved out of the grill andset to one side, and said cooking grid may be disposed in said operativerelation thereof for food cooking purposes over the ignited charcoal,said tinder receiver being separably supported on the receptacle andcomprising a bowl for containing the ash formed from igniting tindercharge placed therein, and including means for removing said tinderreceiver for dumping the said ash therefrom, with the receptacle floorbeing apertured to receive said bowl, said bowl including acircumambient flange thereabout for resting of said bowl on thereceptacle floor under gravity.
 12. The improvement set forth in claim11 wherein:said bowl being formed for random positioning in saidreceptacle floor aperture 360 degrees thereabout.